Toy excavator



Feb. 13, 1968 B. E. BALTHAZOR 3,368,300

TOY EXCAVATOR Filed March 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. l

FIG. 2

INVENTOR. B.E. BALTHAZOR Feb. 13, 1968 B. E. BALTHAZOR 3,368,300

TOY EXCAVATOR Filed March 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. B.E. BALTHAZOR United States Patent 3,368,300 TOY EXCAVATOR Bernard E. Baithazor, Moline, Ill., assignor to Buddy L. Corporation, East Moline, Ill., a corporation Filed Mar. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 537,462 Claims. (Cl. 46-40) It is a further object to embody the novel structure in a mobile machine having support means carrying an excavating device capable of a plurality of movements, enabling the digging, retracting, raising, extending and dumping of a load of excavated material. More specifically, the structure includes an elongated boom that is slidable along and freely turnable about its lengthwise axis, being mounted in a carrier or cradle that is in turn rockable about a transverse axis and turnable about a vertical axis on a supporting base. One end of the boom has a digging tool pivoted thereon and the other end has a handle by means of which the boom may be extended, retracted, rocked, rotated and turned, and the digging tool may be controlled.

Other objects and features will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective showing the machine in transport condition;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective showing a representative material-handling condition;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the boom, shovel, cradle and handle structure, with portions broken away;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of the shovel linkage; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged section on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4.

In the selected embodiment, a vehicle 10, which simulates known full-scale vehicles in appearance, has a rear main frame part 12 serving as a supporing base from which rises an upstanding supporting element 14 turnable about the vertical axis of a pivot 16. The upper end of the element 14 has a transverse pin 18 that establishes a first horizontal axis and that rockably mounts a carrier or cradle 20.

The cradle 20 is preferably of sheet metal construction, U-shaped in cross-section except at its first and second opposite end portions 22 and 24, Whereat it is of annular nature and is fitted with bearing means 26 and 28 coaxially spaced apart on a second axis that is normal to the axis of the pivot pin 18 and that is also the lengthwise axis of the cradle. The bearing means mounts an elongated boom 30 in the cradle. The boom here has a non-circular section (triangular, FIG. 5) and loosely fits the bearings 26 and 28 for turning relative to the cradle about the longitudinal axis of the bearings as well as for relative sliding along that axis. The boom is materially longer than the carrier so that its range of lengthwise movement is considerable, the boom having first and second ends 32 and 34 that extend relatively remotely beyond. the cradle end portions.

The second end 34 of the boom is equipped with handle means 36 including a fixed part 38 of generally open or grip (here rectangular) construction and a movable part or trigger 40. The fixed part or grip 38 may be of molded material and includes an integral plug portion 42 telescopically interfits with the boom, tightly entering a socket 44 afiorded by the open second end 34 of the boom. A cross pin or fastener 46 passes through the boom and plug to prevent withdrawal of the handle means. By this construction the handle means fixed part is unified with the boom and serves as means enabling the user to slide and turn the boom relative to the cradle, to rock the boom and cradle in unison about the pivot pin 18, and to turn the boom, cradle and element 14 about the vertical pivot 16, thus imparting significant versatility to the structure. The trigger 40 is slidably carried at its opposite ends in two opposed sides of the rectangular grip 38, as at 48, and is thus movable toward and away from a third side of the part 38. The open nature of the handle means enables receipt of the fingers of the user, and the trigger is formed at one side with a series of finger-receiving grooves 50 to further facilitate manipulation of the mechanism.

The other or first end 32 of the boom has rigidly atfixed thereto a bracket 52 which by means of a cross pin 54 pivotally carries a digging tool in the form of a shovel or bucket 56, here simulating the type found on fullscale machines. Guide means including a link 58 is pivotally connected at one end at 60 to the shovel and is slidably carried at its other end by the boom by means of a slot and pin means 62. The shovel is thus oriented for extension and retraction relative to the boom, swinging about the pin 54 as it does so. A spring 64, connected between the boom and the shovel, serves as means biasing the shovel to its extended condition (FIGS. 3 and 4).

The boom is of hollow construction lengthwise thereof and encloses portions of operating means enabling the handle trigger 40 to retract the shovel against the bias of the spring 64. Part of this operating means includes the guide means 58 and another part comprises an elongated tension member 66 within the boom and having a hooked pivoted connection 68 with the link 58 and a headed connection 70 with the trigger 40. The handle plug portion 42 is axially apertured at 72 (FIGURES 4 and 5) to accommodate the tension member 66.

To carry out the full-scale simulation, the toy has the appearance of a motor truck, including a hood 74 and a drivers cab 76, relative to which the element 14 is turnable. Adjacent to this element and separate from the drivers cab are an operators cab 76 and related box-like structure 78 to represent the power plant for the excavator. When the vehicle is in transport (FIGS. 1 and 2), the boom lies horizontal and fore-and-aft. When it reaches the site at which the excavation is to be made or at which loose or other material is to be handled, the boom is swung to the position of FIG. 3, for example, being turned about the vertical axis 16 and rocked about the horizontal axis 18. The boom is slid to its outer-most extent with the shovel extended, after which the user pulls the boom toward himself, the shovel becoming loaded as it scoops up material. By squeezing the trigger, the user can retract the loaded shovel and can then swing the boom up about the axis 18 to a horizontal position and then swing it lateral to a waiting truck, for example. Relaxing the trigger allows the shovel to dump. In loose material, retraction of the shovel alone will load it.

The FIG. 3 condition is representative only. Because of the universal mounting of the boom, it can be swung to and operated at a variety of compound angles, the turnability of the boom in the cradle bearings 26 and 28 being significant in enabling digging attacks on side slopes, etc.

Features other than those pointed out herein will readily occur to those versed in the art, as will alterations in the disclosed construction, all of which fall within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy excavator, comprising a supporting base including an upstanding element carried thereon, a carrier pivotally mounted on said element for rocking about a generally transverse first horizontal axis and having first and second end portions spaced apart along a second axis normal to said first axis, an elongated boom disposed with its length along said second axis and having first and second ends respectively longitudinally beyond said first and second end portions of the carrier; means cooperative between the carrier and the boom and mounting said boom on the carrier for rocking in unison about the first axis and for lengthwise sliding and turning of the boom relative to the carrier along and about said second axis; a digging tool carried by the first end of the boom; and handle means carried at the second end of the boom for enabling manual sliding and turning of the boom along and about said second axis and for rocking of the carrier and boom about said first axis.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the upstanding element is mounted on the supporting base for turning about an upright axis and is turnable about said upright axis in unison with the carrier and boom by manual force applied to said handle means.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the digging tool is movably mounted on said first end of the boom for extension and retraction relative to the boom, the handle means includes a fixed part rigidly connected to said second end of the boom and a relatively movable part, and operating means extends lengthwise of the boom and interconnects the digging tool and said movable part for effecting extension and retraction of the digging tool by manipulation of said movable part.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, in which: the fixed part of the handle is of generally open construction adapted to receive the fingers of the user, and the mov- 4 able part is disposed within said open movable part and adaptable to be gripped by the users fingers.

5. The invention defined in claim 3, in which: the boom is of generally hollow construction lengthwise thereof and a portion of the operating means extends longitudinally loosely through and within said born.

6. The invention defined in claim 5, in which: the operating means includes guide means connected between the boom and the digging tool for guiding the tool in its extension and retraction relative to the boom and means biasing the tool to an extended relation to the boom, and said operating means portion within the boom is tension member extending from the tool to said movable handle means part for retracting the tool against the force of the biasing means.

7. The invention defined in claim 3 in which: the second end of the boom opens longitudinally toward the handle means as a socket and the fixed part of the handle means includes a portion received in said socket.

8. The invention defined in claim 7, including fastening means cooperative between the handle means portion and the boom second end to prevent withdrawal of said handle means from the socket.

9. The invention defined in claim 3, in which: the second end of the boom and the fixed handle means part include telescopically interfitting portions.

10. The invention defined in claim 4, in which: the fixed part of the handle is generally in the form of an open rectangle form and the movable part is slidably carried by two sides of said rectangle for movement toward and away from a third side thereof. 

1. A TOY EXCAVATOR, COMPRISING A SUPPORTING BASE INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING ELEMENT CARRIED THEREON, A CARRIER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID ELEMENT FOR ROCKING ABOUT A GENERALLY TRANSVERSE FIRST HORIZONTAL AXIS AND HAVING FIRST AND SECOND END PORTIONS SPACED APART ALONG A SECOND AXIS NORMAL TO SAID FIRST AXIS, AN ELONGATED BOOM DISPOSED WITH ITS LENGTH ALONG SAID SECOND AXIS AND HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS RESPECTIVELY LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND SAID FIRST AND SECOND END PORTIONS OF THE CARRIER; MEANS COOPERATIVE BETWEEN THE CARRIER AND THE BOOM AND MOUNTING SAID BOOM ON THE CARRIER FOR ROCKING IN UNISON ABOUT THE FIRST AXIS AND FOR LENGTHWISE SLIDING AND TURNING OF THE BOOM RELATIVE TO THE CARRIER ALONG AND ABOUT SAID SECOND AXIS; A DIGGING TOOL CARRIED BY THE FIRST END OF THE 